Dispensing tube



July 20,1926. 1,593,025

F. L. M DONALD DISPENSING TUBE Filed March 17. 1923 wm W ATTOgl fifgx Patented July 20,1926.

UNITED STATES 1,593,025 PATENT OFFICE.

rnnnnmcx L. MACDONALD, or wanrnau, ma'ssacnusn'rrs.

nisrnnsme TUBE.

Application filed March 17, 1923. Serial No. 625,888..

contents is caused to exude by pressure thereon. The present invention is highly advantageous in expressing such material as tooth paste, library paste, cement, lubricating jellies, ointment for nasal and other medicinal uses, petroleum jelly and its related products, and like materials in a semi-viscous state.

At the present timethe commercial collapsible tubes for products of this nature are generally provided with a screw cap which must be removed in order to express the material, leaving the discharge "orifice open until the cap is replaced. Two main disadvantages accrue from this construe tion; first if the cap is lost or not replaced the material drys and hardens making it diflicult to obtain later, and the exposed material becomes contaminated by insects, dust and dirt and, second, the amount of material to be expressed cannot readily be controlled which often leaves an excess on the screw threads .making replacement of the cap diflicult and the tube unsightly and hard to clean. p

The object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages and such others as are inherent in the present commercial form of collapsible tube for the kind of material named. Accordingly the present invention provides a form of closure, adapted to any present type of collapsible tube, which prevents contamination, is readily cleaned andenables the user to control the amount of material expressed to a-fine degree.

To the accomplishment of this object and such others as may hereinafter appear, as readily understood by those skilled in the art, the invention comprises the form and construction having the features hereinafter described andrthen particularly pointed out in the appended clalms.

The preferred form of the invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in

which Figure 1, is a view, in elevation, of a collapsible tube with the novel closure applied thereto, the closure being in section at its upper end, andFig. 2 is a similar view, at right angles to Fig. 1, withthe closure in 'sectionat its lower end. I

These tubes are manu- In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, 5 represents a tube.

of the usual type and construction of permanently collapsible tubes now generally used for dispensing'tooth paste and the like. Such a tube is provided with the relatively rigid breast portion 7 and the tubular, externally threaded neck 9 forming the outlet, on which a metal cap (not shown) is threaded. The present invention provides, in one aspect, a substitute for the metal cap and, in another aspect, an auxiliary collapsible tube or container overcoming the disadvantages hereinbefore referred to.

The auxiliary tube or substitute cap is designated by 10 and comprises an elastic rubber nipple, speciallyshaped (see Fig. 1) for a purpose, to be described later. The open end of the nipple 10 is of such diameteras to tightly fit and obtain a. firm grip upon the threads of the neck 9. Near its upper end the wall of the nipple is provided with an oblique-slit 12 extending downwardly and inwardly. This slit is exaggerated in Fig. 1 in order thatit may be seen on the drawing, but in practice it is formed by a knife incision so that when the nipple is fully distended its two lips are in contact and there is no outlet whatever for the enclosed material.

Special attention is called to the fact that the wall of the nipple is soft and pliable all about the discharge slit, whatever its location in the wall may be, so that pressure from within will readily cause its lips to open. In using the dispensing tube, the new closure,- after having been fitted in place, is

filled with the contained material by squeezing the tube as usual. To discharge a quantity for use the collapsible tube is squeezed as usual or, if found more convenient, the nipple 10 itself may be squeezed by pressure at the'sides 14 and 16 opposite the ends of the slit 12. In either case the'pressure on the material in the nipple causes the slit'to open, the outer lip lifting much in the nature of a fish scale, and the material exudes forwardly, or in the general direction of the length of the nipple. Upon a cessation of pressure the outlet formed by the open slit closes instantaneously immediately cutting oil the expressed ribbon of material when the exact amount desired has been obtained.

After wiping the attached end of the ribbon from the nipple is can-readily be cleaned with a damp cloth, or by running water,

due to its smooth outer surface. At all times, when not in use, the slit 12 is tightly closed thus completely preventing contami- 5 nation of the contents or the tube. The 010- sure is not removed until the tube 5 is to be r 'scardsd for a new one, thus obviating the cl repeated removal and replacement of screw cap.

A further novel feature resides in the provision. of means for preventing an accidental expression of contents of the tube through the slit This might occur if the tube is thrown loosely into a travelling bag Where the nipple might be collapsed cm pressure by surrounding articles, or if tube were carried, unencased, in the t. 'lo guard against this the nipple 10 is ided with a collar in the form of an elasruhber ring 18 which may he slipped up down on the i pie. In Fig. 1 this colshown in Ton over the slit 12 and l that when in this locativeiy lrept from opening pressure on the nipple.

. ce used the collar 18 is below the slit 12 and e, be placed at the s, as shown in Fig. 2.

serves to place addicicsuro l firmly on observed that with e may be made ir and the closure place. nipple. herein tsined by forming end. As shown, 'erminates, pref-- cut across its flat top-Wall of the topinay be used library paste, e like. Itshould be the invention is us to a location of the r the contained ma- I opening the side i the cap, but ins the location such opening in any of the cap W. l may be most conent for expr 4 :no particular mateat may h in tube, as defined in oended cluin:

i be understood, of course, that the real well l nipple, altho collapsi-' y pressure of he fingers on opposite 1s sufiiciently than to resist collapsing waterial distortion when the end-wall 20 s as a spreader or spatula; and it will ncerstood also that the light pressure is used in such cases will not be sufiit to expel any of the paste out through 3 t scharge-slit, so that a discharge of the i m d neck 9 nd means of the fingers at paste can be obtained only by squeezing either one of the tubes 5 or 10.

The advantage and comfort of a soft rubber ni ple, as described, in using a. tube when tilled with a nasal ointment Will be obvious. In all of the uses of the dispen ing tube the outlet 12 may easily be kept clean and the tube never becomes unsightly, nor can it invite infection. It Will'be understood, from the foregoing disclosure of the invention, that it is contemplated to apply the novel closure to collapsible containers for dispensing any of the materials named, or others of the same general characteristics. It will be observed that the main reservoir 5 must be of the permanently-collapsible type and that, on the contrary, the auxiliary reservoir-tube shall be of the temporarily-collapsible type, i. e., the type which may be collapsed by squeezing between the fingers and which when released will return to normal, cylindrical shape.

The reason for this is that, as the main reservoir is collapsed, the viscous material will be forced into the auxiliary reservoir, thereby keeping the auxiliary reservoir filled at all time The viscous material may be exuded by alone collapsing the main tube or, as 'hereinfore stated, it be expelled by merely collapsing the elastic reservoir by a point between the coupling and the exit, expressing the substance being;

those cases Where a very e 0 p e substance is needed or where care 15 tied in applying 1 positionin it refers essential that the nipple reservoir oe sufliciently long to enable it to be co lapsed a point between its connection to one main reservoir and the discharge- -e nature and ueon indicated having been at is claimed as new, is.

1. closure for collapsible paste tubes comprisi g a rubber nipple, cylindrical in form, having a slit through its side Wall, and acollar frictionally engaging the outer surface of the nipple and slidable on the nipple to and from a position over said slit.

2. An auxiliary tube or substitute cap for collapsible adhesive tubes comprising an elastic rubber nipple tubular in shape and having its outer end slabbed oil in an oblique section providing fiat smooth surface adapted for use as a spreader of the adhesive. said nipple having a normally-closed discharge-slitat its outer end, said tubular Wall of the nipple being sufiiciently firm to permit said endwall to bensecl as a spreader Without collapsing the tube and Without expelling the contents thereof through said discharge-slit.

FREDERICK L. MnoDQNALD.

this latter :node of lll) 

